Tama County Court News

March 14, 2014

Before Judge Marsha M. Beckelman in Tama County District Court in Toledo:

James Leonard Dobbs Jr., 52, rural Garwin, entered an Alford Plea to a charge of child endangerment. By making the plea, Dobbs did not admit guilt but recognized enough evidence could be presented which would likely result in a conviction at trial. He was fined $625. Three other charge were dismissed. Dobbs originally faced additional charges of lascivious acts with a child, indecent contact with a child and indecent exposure. The charges were filed over alleged incidents occurring in 2012 by Tama County Deputy Sheriff Bruce Rhoads. Allen Michael Verbeek, 37, Montour, was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $625. He entered a written guilty plea to domestic abuse assault. Verbeek was charged on Dec. 6, 2013, with domestic abuse assault, 3rd or subsequent offense, in the 100 block of Liberty Street, Montour. He was accused of allegedly threatening to kill another person, stabbing her bed mattress, chasing her with a hammer and burning many of her valued personal possessions. The charges was filed by Tama County Deputy Sheriff Bruce Rhoads. Dayton Alven Bear, 20, rural Tama, entered a written guilty plea on a charge of possession of marijuana, He received a deferred judgment, was placed on self-supervised probation for one year and assessed a $250 civil penalty. He also entered written guilt pleas to possession of drug paraphernalia and possession under legal age and was fined a total of $265. Bear was charged following a traffic stop on Feb. 13 by Tama County Deputy Sheriff Bryan Ellenbecker. Christopher Lee Wanatee, 32, rural Tama, entered a written guilty plea to 2nd offense drunken driving. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail with all but two days suspended, fined $1,875 and placed on probation for two years to the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services. He was directed to pay the probation supervision enrollment fee. Wanatee was charged on Nov. 1, 2013, when stopped for allegedly operating a motor vehicle eastbound in the westbound lanes of the U.S. 30 Expressway by Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police Officer Jonathan L. Rogers. Amber Dawn Berry, 35, Cedar Rapids, entered a written guilty plea to possession of marijuana, She was sentenced to two days in jail and fined $315. Her driver's license was revoked for 180 days. Berry was charged on Feb. 7 during a traffic stop when marijuana was allegedly discovered in the console of the car she was driving by Toledo Police Officer Dan Quigley.